The first and 10 millionth Ford cars. Unused colorized postcard, circa 1924.
Detroit, Mich., June 14 [1924] — (Special) A new and outstanding achievement in the automobile industry of America was attained here recently when the ten-millionth Model "T" Ford car left the final assembly in the Highland Park plant of the Ford Motor company.
The motor, bearing the number 10,000,000 was completed in the morning, and reached the car assembly line that afternoon, and was assembled into a touring car, the most popular of all Ford body types.
In celebration of having attained a 10,000,000 production record, the company announces that Ford car No. 10,000,000 will make a coast to coast trip as signifying the nationwide popularity of the Ford car and its appeal to every class of driver.
The car will be shipped to New York within a day or two and leaving there will be driven across the country to San Francisco. The Lincoln Highway has been selected as the official route of travel and stops will be made at most all the towns along the line. Frank Kulick, who years ago attained fame and broke many records as the pilot of Ford racing cars, will be at the wheel of the ten-millionth Ford, during the trans-continental trip.
Model "T" Ford cars are today in use in every country on earth and the unusual success which has attended the Ford Motor company dates principally from 1908, when the Model "T" was developed and introduced on the market.
The company was among the first to adapt the unit power plant and the left-hand control, and it was the originator of such fundamental principles as the removable cylinder head, three-point motor suspension and torque tube drive, all incorporated in the Model "T" and which have since been generally adopted in the automotive industry. The correctness of these basic features has been strikingly proven by the fact that in the entire ten-million production, while improvements have constantly been made, there has never been any deviation from the original principals [sic] of the Model "T."
Previous to the time that the Model "T" was introduced the company had built and sold approximately 25,000 Ford cars of other models. The first Model "T" was completed Oct. 1, 1908, and it was seven years later, Dec. 10, 1915, when Motor 1,000,000 was produced. Since then under an ever increasing demand, production has steadily grown until a new output record was established in turning out the last million cars in 132 working days.